“Political
campaigns are the ideal time to question candidates. Well-informed voters can
use these exchanges to find out where candidates really stand and to let the
candidates know what they think. But many politicians have a tendency to gloss
over tough issues, minimize problems and offer easy-sounding solutions instead
of giving detailed, specific answers. While there is no single correct answer to
any of the questions, these issues need to be debated on the campaign trail.
Concord's key questions provide a framework for ensuring that candidates address
some of the toughest choices they will face about the budget, Social Security
and Medicare if they're elected,” said Executive Director Robert Bixby.

1. Do you
believe that Congress and the President should agree on a new plan to balance
the budget, and if so, should that plan exclude the Social Security surplus?

2. Following
the attacks of September 11th, 2001 a strong bipartisan consensus has developed
to increase spending on national security at home and abroad. Do you believe
that this new spending should be offset with cuts in other areas, paid for by
tax increases, or deficit financed?

3. Is debt
reduction a priority for you, and if so, how would you balance debt reduction
against other priorities?

4. Last year
when large surpluses were expected throughout the decade, Congress and President
Bush agreed to a tax cut plan that won't be fully phased in until 2010. Now that
deficits of $100 billion or more are expected for the next few years--$300
billion if the Social Security surplus is excluded--do you believe the tax cuts
that have not yet taken effect should be delayed until the budget is back in
balance?

5. Social
Security will begin spending more than it collects in taxes by 2017. After that,
Social Security will run growing annual cash deficits in the trillions of
dollars. How do you propose to reduce the growing financial burden on future
taxpayers, while at the same time protecting the retirement security of future
beneficiaries, or do you support the “Do Nothing Plan?”

6. Leading
proposals in Congress for adding a prescription drug benefit to Medicare would
cost from $350 billion to $800 billion over the next 10 years. But Medicare's
costs are already projected to double over this time, even before most of the
huge baby boom generation qualifies for benefits. If you agree that a
prescription drug benefit should be added to Medicare, how do you propose to pay
for it?